Purnell on manoeuvres
James Forsyth 3:41pm
A fraternal friend of Coffee House is in touch to say that at a recent TUC drinks-do James Purnell stayed longer than any other minister and shook hands with everyone he could. Now, one would not think of Purnell with his snazzy suits and Blairite politics as someone who would seek out the company of the brothers. But needs must, the Unions will have a third of the votes in any Labour leadership contest and any new Labour Prime Minister would need a large amount of Union money to finance a general election campaign. Combine this with the fact that Purnell has recently shaved off his sideburns and one might conclude that he is taking Fraser Nelson’s advice rather seriously.
There are at least a couple of good reasons for the youthful Purnell not to wait until after the next election. If Labour lose in a landslide, as they probably will with Brown in charge, then the Parliamentary party—who have with the party's MEPs a third of the votes—will move decisively to the left. Also after a big defeat, the party as a whole will be less interested in electability, Purnell’s perceived strength, and more interested in ideological purity, his greatest weakness in the eyes of many Labour members.
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Comments
Liz Brown
July 9th, 2008 4:21pmWhat makes you think that that idiot is Prime Ministerial material? he and the other arses who are being talked up are a waste of our precious resources - not one of them could run the proverbial piss up in a brewery. This Government needs to be got rid of - lock stock and barrel. The more you witter on the more you prove Petr Oborne's point about the "Triumph of the Political Classes" which should be compulsory reading
Tiberius
July 9th, 2008 4:43pmLiz: after the next GE, it is likely that the Labour Party will be HM Official Opposition, but none the less a potential future government.
For that reason, it matters who leads it.
Just look at the mess the country is in because Blair became leader in 1994.
Liz Brown
July 9th, 2008 5:42pmTiberius I think we are looking 18+ years down the line - by then the nutters who voted for this catastrophic bunch may have forgotten the damage they have done and elect them again - but it will take that long if not longer to forget .........
Mike, Brighton
July 9th, 2008 5:48pmMurmurings...manouvers....cryptic references to "courage" in speeches...sounding out MPs....so what?
None has the balls to say Brown is hopeless and Labour is doomed unless they dump him now.
William Norton
July 9th, 2008 5:49pmLiz Brown asked "What makes you think that that idiot is Prime Ministerial material?" Presumably, a study of the idiot who has already got the job?
I'm waiting for the Draft Blair campaign. I might even start it. Go on, be honest, we all miss the old rogue....
TGF UKIP
July 9th, 2008 6:44pmFor some years the inner beast of the Labour Party has been very angry and getting even angrier that it allowed itself to be seduced into alien ways of thought and conduct.
IF, given his seemingly limitless capacity for doing so, Dave doesn't self destruct between now and 2010 (or May/June 09) then the Opposition Labour Party will do exactly what is right for it when humiliatingly defeated.
It will revert to being its true self and elect a Leader who believes in it and who they believe in. In short, forget, Purnell, Miliband etc, they and the rest of the Blair crew will become bargepole people. Labour will become a conviction party again with a conviction leader from the Left. Cruddas is 10/1 and looks excellent value at that but, unless Boris manages to nail him over the missing millions, and given his capacity for resurrections, I suggest you don't ignore Livingstone who looks almost irresistible for a fiver e/w @ 100/1.
Of course, Tiberius, looking our a bit further into the future it's going to be just as interesting to see who an equally angry Tory Party turn to when it finally dawns on them that they have been led down an equivalent alien path.
Real politics with a Real Labour Party and a Real Conservative Party - that's probably when we'll get real elections with 75% turnouts again.
Carol-Ann
July 9th, 2008 8:00pmYes the sideburns had to go.
Tel
July 9th, 2008 8:02pmWilliam Norton you're bang on, let's DRAFT BLAIR. With his ego he couldn't resist it.
Tom
July 9th, 2008 8:07pmTGF UKIP, I agree about Livingstone. He's already positioning himself. In the last couple of weeks I've seen him on This Morning, Marr, Newsnight etc. But would Labour be so suicidal?
Drew
July 9th, 2008 9:10pmA former head of corporate planning at the BBC as PM-in-waiting. Erm, I think NOT (unless fish are in training for the Tour de France).